In Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae, he urged them to “let the word of Christ dwell in them richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Colossians 3:16). But what does that look like when you don’t have the sound of a full band playing alongside you or a congregation to sing with? 

For the majority of worship leaders at local churches, this is our reality right now due to the effects of COVID-19. I truly believe Jesus is teaching us something special through this experience. We have an opportunity right now to re-evaluate why we do what we do. 

Audience of One – You and the Lord

It’s not easy to admit that at times I have relied too heavily on the Sunday morning gathering for my “fill” of worship. Assembling with the people of God to sing praise is an incredible experience, but there’s something about an empty room, when it’s just you and the Lord — an audience of One — that actually reveals the true state of your heart. Something shifts inside of us when we realize that one of the deep desires of God has always been to meet with us one-on-one. 

In fact, it was Jesus’ original recipe for how we should pray. “…Go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6). According to Jesus, an empty room is the perfect set up for an encounter with the Creator. My hope and prayer for all of us is that in these moments we have alone with Jesus, we would truly understand that a relationship with Him is worth everything because He is everything.

 

More Than A Musician

Worship has always been about Christ. We are called to make the first commandment our first priority – to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. When we start here, it pours into everything we do. That’s why our lives say more about what we worship than our words do.

Right now there is a fresh expression of worship that Jesus is asking you and I to lean into more than ever before, and it might not have anything to do with music. It would be a great tragedy if the only thing the North American Church learned in this season was how to produce better online services. Our buildings might be closed, but the church is not. 

Dear worshipper, you have a calling on your life. You are called to be a beacon of hope for the despairing and a source of encouragement for the disheartened. You are called to be a worshipper in the truest sense of the title – a devoted disciple of Jesus. 

We can’t expect people and the world around us to marvel at the Good Shepherd of our souls if our own hearts are not thrilled with Him. Our circumstances have most definitely changed, but our King has not. He “…is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). 

Finally, I ask you: Are you still in awe of the goodness of God just as much as you were a month ago? Does it still amaze you that the Son of God stepped out of the splendor of heaven to live and die on earth as a servant for you and I while we were still “… dead in our trespasses and sins”? (Ephesians 2:1). 

If you’re not so sure, don’t be discouraged! He longs to meet with you in that empty room and show You who He is.

 

If you’re a worship leader interested in getting involved with Village Hymns, please email [email protected] or visit our website at villagehymns.com/get-involved.

Read last month’s Village Hymns article at: https://www.goodnewsfl.org/how-songs-makes-disciples-the-war-to-see-god-rightly/

Jamie Jacob is the worship leader at Greenhouse Church in Davie.